Insight and commentary beyond the headlines on local government issues impacting California's grocery industry.   September 25-27, 2011 CGA Strategic Conference Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino Las Vegas, NV

Your Association. Your Voice. CGA is your voice at the Capitol and in city and county governments across the state.  CGA actively promotes and protects the legislative and regulatory interests of the retail food industry before Congress, the California State Legislature, local governments, and state and local regulatory agencies. CGA staff, contract counsels and a network of CGA members monitor pending legislation, work directly with lawmakers to draft bills and testify in support of and opposition to measures and regulatory proposals affecting the retail food industry. In coordination with member companies, CGA’s legislative efforts provide a unified voice on critical issues affecting the industry. LEGISLATIVE ALERT! AB 183 – Grocery Job Killer   During these tough economic times, our industry is creating jobs in California neighborhoods.  We are investing in communities for the long haul.  We are working to bring fresh, affordable food to every California neighborhood.  But it hasn’t been easy, especially with our own costs rising in areas like transportation, commodities and energy.  You would think that lawmakers would be doing everything they could to help the grocery industry thrive and expand.  Unfortunately, some in Sacramento have a different idea – pushing legislation that will make it more difficult for grocers to survive and increasing the cost of doing business.  AB 183 (Ma) would significantly impact the way grocers do business in California, and not for the better.  Under the guise of curbing youth access to alcohol, the bill seeks to eliminate the popular, time-saving technology called assisted self-checkout.  Why would lawmakers want to force grocers to abandon their momentum to become more efficient and modern facilities?  Because big unions are telling them to.  Don’t be fooled by this grocery scam.  Get the facts here: How Sales Transactions Occur at ASCO Terminals - YouTube An Analysis of ABC Data A Broad Coalition Opposes AB 183       JUNE 13, 2011 New Redistricting Maps Released Friday was a big day in Sacramento with the State Senate running a budget “drill” – taking up and a series of budget bills knowing they would not ultimately be enacted – and the Citizens Redistricting Commission releasing preliminary maps of new boundaries for California’s State Assembly, Senate, Congressional, and Board of Equalization Districts. More...       For additional information on the items below click here.     AB 22 (Mendoza) – Pre-Employment Credit Reports     AB 183 (Ma) – Alcohol Sales Restrictions     AB 335 (Solorio) – Workers Compensation Notices     AB 375 (Skinner) – Workers Compensation: Presumptions     AB 559 (Swanson) – Civil Actions: Costs     AB 1319 (Butler) – BPA     SB 508 (Wolk) – Tax Incentives: Goals and Objectives

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